I wanted to start long range shooting and hunting, but I'm not sure as to which kind of setup to get. Here are a few things I'm looking for

-Need it for big game hunting
-My goal is 600+ yards with targets
- Price Range is > 2000.

Now I was looking for the Remington 700, but I don't know what caliber. I'm confused b/w .308, .30-60, or a 7mm I read on some websites that a .308 is good, and others that its not. I was looking into either .30-60, or 7mm, are these good enough to get to my goal. I'm basically looking for a point in the right direction, bc i'm clueless when it comes to rifles. I know that its not just point and shoot, I"m reading a few books that should help me out with the numbers that go into the shot. I would also need a scope , with that i know the more money the better. Any input would be great or points would be great.

Thanks,
Ray

hunter Joe

03-17-2010 08:57 PM

Ray, a popular school of thought is to spend as much on the optics as you spend on the firearm. For 2 G's you can put together a pretty nice firearm/scope combination.

You need to be more specific on what big game species you intend to hunt.

Also, 600 yards is a good poke in anybodies book. With these long-range shots you need to practice a lot and also you need to know how to judge the wind because the wind plays a big factor in long-range shooting. This practice is critical for clean ethical kills. We as sportsmen and sportswomen owe this to the game we pursue.

lonyaeger

03-17-2010 09:07 PM

In my opinion, it's going to take a while to get out to 600+ yards, both in terms of equipment and experience. You can put $2K into a rifle that will get you out that far.....but do you have the knowledge and/or experience to do it?

Lots of people in this forum will help you with the knowledge part, and even give you their opinions on the equipment. But the experience part.....well, that's up to you! :)

jpattersonnh

03-17-2010 09:12 PM

I agree w/ Joe. There are so many threads here for "long range" you should search. There are too many variables to give a strait answer. I have a .308 that I used for F-class, but have reworked the rifle for more practical purposes. A long range hunter and a long range target gun have very little in common. JP

RDJr

03-17-2010 10:30 PM

To answer Joe's question, I'm looking to hunt whitetail, bear, and elk. I know that its not just the equipment, and that you can have a rifle that can get you 1000 yards. If you dont have the expericence you can't hit it. The reason I ask for caliber option is b/c I dont want to buy a .308, then realize I need to upgrade the firearm to make it a good distance, I would like to have something out of the box that can make it. I figured this if i have the ability to hit something at 600 yards then shooting game at 150 to 200 yards would be no problem.

270 win

03-17-2010 10:50 PM

I would say either the 338 win mag, or the 7mm remington mag

jpattersonnh

03-17-2010 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDJr
(Post 251024)

To answer Joe's question, I'm looking to hunt whitetail, bear, and elk. I know that its not just the equipment, and that you can have a rifle that can get you 1000 yards. If you dont have the expericence you can't hit it. The reason I ask for caliber option is b/c I dont want to buy a .308, then realize I need to upgrade the firearm to make it a good distance, I would like to have something out of the box that can make it. I figured this if i have the ability to hit something at 600 yards then shooting game at 150 to 200 yards would be no problem.

So explain what BC is! What is SC? Game at 200? Bear? what kind? I am willing to help, but what do you realistically want to do? Forget the Rifle, your scope is the bigger issue. Gee none mentioned. Hitting a piece of paper at a range is very different than hitting a living, breathing animal.

cpttango30

03-17-2010 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 270 win
(Post 251036)

I would say either the 338 win mag, or the 7mm remington mag

You say that because you really have no idea what you or the OP is talking about.

Sounds like some one has been watching youtube a little to much. Why do you want to target shoot at animals? I am all for long range shooting, but I firmly believe that if you are shooting deer bear or elk at distance greater than 400 yards your not only an idiot your not a very smart idiot as well.....

Now I am not calling anyone an idiot. That is just the way I feel about the subject of long range hunting.

I know plenty of guys that are in the VHA (Varmint Hunters Assoc.) 1000 yard club. These guys are spending more money on a scope than you want to spend on an entire set up.

They are all also shooting custom rigs with custom actions barrels stocks and they load all year long for one trip to the Prairie Dog fields. These guys are almost as bad if not worse that bench rest shooters I have seen them throw out a barrel after 200 rounds if it is not shooting they way they want it to. That barrel may shoot .375" groups but that is too big or some of these guys.

Also just because someone says LONG RANGE it doesn't mean the word MAGNUM has to be a part of the name.

I am not a super long range shooter or hunter. I have shot varmints at what I believe long distance. Longs kill thus far has been 398 yards on a ground squirrel. I have a few ground hogs that checked out at 250 to 300 yards.

Think about it like this. A 175gr 308 caliber bullet leaving the barrel at 2900 fps will take 1 second to travel out to 725 yards. Where is the deer you just shot at going to be in 1 second. You have no idea. 1 second doesn't sound like a lot of time but, what is someone close to the deer shoots as well bang you just gut shot a deer at 725 yards WOO HOO there is something to be proud of. At 1000 yards you get a little over 1.6 seconds for that deer to move. I am not sure how many deer you have seen but most of the ones I have seen don't stand still very long.

Now for a 200 yard elk/Eastern bear gun my 7mm Rem Mag is great. I have an older Savage 110. Carries like a 2x4, but it is a great shooter. 6.5,7,7.62,7.7,7.92,9.3 will all fit what you want plus others.
? Can you shoot? What is the largest cartridge you shoot in a 3 month period? Consistently.

RDJr

03-17-2010 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpattersonnh
(Post 251058)

So explain what BC is! What is SC? Game at 200? Bear? what kind? I am willing to help, but what do you realistically want to do? Forget the Rifle, your scope is the bigger issue. Gee none mentioned. Hitting a piece of paper at a range is very different than hitting a living, breathing animal.

No idea what BC or SC is. Realistcally I would like a setup to be able to kill game at any distance or hit a target at any distance. I now understand a scope is more important, so thank you. BUt how is hitting a piece of paper different then killing an animal. When you practice shooting for hunting purposes, you use a piece of paper with a bulls-eye on it, when you shoot the animals sweet spot thats were you would place the bulls-eye. How is that different?